Boiling Point
by Lieutenant Caine
Summary: Temper temper, mon capitan...  Light romance and humor.


**Boiling Point**

It was usually quiet in the mornings during the dayshift of CSI, but on this morning there was a particularly disturbing cacophony of sounds spilling out of Calleigh's office. The sounds of files being slammed on the table, the sounds of desk drawers being jerked open, the sounds of evidence envelopes being forcibly torn apart, and worst of all the usually soft sound of Calleigh's voice could be clearly heard muttering and issuing dire imprecations at no one and everyone in general.

Horatio, standing un-noticed by the door, raised one pale red eyebrow and chuckled to himself. Something had definitely gotten to his ballistics expert and it seemed the better part of valor to investigate so that no unsuspecting soul would fall under the cross hairs of the angry blonde. In all the years they had worked together, Horatio had learned one thing for certain. When Calleigh Duquesne was riled, she was more than a force to be reckoned with. Green eyes pierced through him the moment he stepped into the room. She snatched a handful of papers from the desk, eyeing them as though she'd rather burn them instead of touch them. Half a dozen angry steps brought her face to face with him and she glared up into his twinkling blue eyes.

"Have you seen this review, Horatio? How dare he?" she spat out, her words flying out with the force of one of her own nine millimeter bullets.

"Look at this!" she demanded, angrily waving the sheaf of papers in his face, but not giving him time to grasp the offending piece of paper from her tightly clenched hand.

"Just look at this," she repeated, still gesticulating wildly.

Horatio bit the inside of his jaw to keep from chuckling again. He knew from past experience that laughter in the face of a full blown Calleigh Duquesne fit was closely akin to waving a red flag in the face of a charging bull.

"I would look at it, Sweetheart, if you would hold it still long enough for me to do so." He spoke quietly and took one cautious but unobtrusive step backward, preparing himself for the inevitable explosion. His caution was well placed.

""If I would hold it still? What do you mean by that?" she almost shrieked, still waving the papers around, and looking for all the world like a mad magician practicing some strange incantation.

"Calleigh, calm down. Hand me the papers, so I can look at them." Horatio spoke each word slowly and precisely, a fact that did not escape Calleigh's notice. In fact it further angered her.

"Why are you talking to me like that, Horatio? Do you think I've suddenly lost my hearing? Hmmm?"

Horatio knew it would take more than just words to get through to her and so he carefully made a visual inspection of the area, walking to each window and quietly flicking the blinds closed.

"Just what do you think you're doing, Horatio Caine?" she snapped as she watched him travel the confines of her office.

He didn't answer her, merely continued with his task. When he came full circle back around to where he had started, he stopped and locked the door. By now, he had Calleigh's full attention. Without speaking, he reached out, pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly.

Her gasp of shock gave him the perfect opportunity to dive past her already parted lips with a quick, agile tongue. Strong hands held her close and didn't loosen their grip until he felt her stop squirming.

Finally he raised his head and looked down into her face. Her cheeks were red with both the remnants of her anger, and the blush of desire. Her eyes sparkled with the same combination. It was, he thought, the most breathtaking sight he'd seen in a long time.

"Now, what was it you were ranting about, Sweetheart?" he asked as he placed a quick kiss on the tip of her upturned nose.

A chagrinned smile blossomed over Calleigh's lips.

"I got a terrible review from Stetler on my last firearms certification test. He said I lacked concentration and was a danger to my team."

"Consider the source, Calleigh. He's looking for any way he can to tear down my team even if it means filing a derogatory report that is baseless. I'll take care of it. You leave Rick Stetler to me."

Calleigh nestled against him for a moment and then sighed. "I wish we could stay like this all day, Handsome."

"So do I, Calleigh but lord what ammunition that would give Stetler. He'd have a field day with that one."

"Hmmm, I guess you're right."

"I know I am."

"Smarty pants." She teased.

"Beautiful," he retorted, kissing her again before letting her go from his arms.

He made the same circuit of the office he'd made before, only this time he undid his previous actions that had granted them privacy. Once again he complete his tour of the room and the windows once again granted full view to anyone passing.

Halfway out the door he paused and looked back.

"Calleigh.."

"Yes, Handsome?"

"Might better work on controlling that boiling point, Sweetheart. As it is, someone may get hurt."

"Oh get out of here," she grabbed the review that had set her into such a tizzy, crumpled it up into a tightly wadded ball and threw it across the room at his retreating back. It bounced harmlessly off his suit-clad shoulder and he laughed.

"Boiling point, Calleigh. Boiling point." He called back over that same shoulder and then he was gone.

**A/N Well, it would appear that Athena works even better when she's thoroughly ticked off. At least two of you will know the impetus behind this little one shot. I hope you enjoy. It was a very quick and very theraputic writing. **

**Thank you to all the readers on this site who have learned how to disagree without being vicious or rude. You will never know just how much a kind word or a thoughtful review can offset a cruel one. **

**As ever, H**


End file.
